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Going to Germany for RT!
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02/22/2011 01:06
Cyclist 
02/22/2011 01:06
Cyclist 

Re: Going to Germany for RT!

Hi Spanishbuddha
Sounds like you are lucky to have gone to see Prof Seegenschmiedt to get an early diagnosis. Did he recommend when you should return for treatment for the affected foot?

Re glucosamine: I was taking it when my LD first appeared. It appears to be associated with LD, as you say, it's still all anecdotal, but I'm not taking any chances as my LD is aggressive and I don't want to encourage it. I've given up prawns and shellfish as they contain lots of glucosamine.

Good to hear there are some made of the tough stuff to survive the cold weather on their bikes, despite having to carry shovels

Enjoy Hamburg!
Di

02/22/2011 01:27
Cyclist 
02/22/2011 01:27
Cyclist 

Re: Going to Germany for RT!

@MolotoW:
Great, spanishbudda, thx for this information ...

From your report it sounds pretty straight forward; however, would you think, something was
special and really worth the long trip to the Professor or could it be done elsewhere in the USA
to the same level ... ? What is really special about him ...?

Was his examination technique somewhat different then what you had expected yourself ... ?

Could you describe the scoring system with which he decides to treat or not to treat ?

Hi @MolotoW
Radiation treatment has not yet made it to the 'peer review' stage, at which point the treatment would be exposed to the scrutiny of the 'scientific community', in this case the medical establishment. However, here we have a treatment which is the next best thing, as it has been developed by a Professor who has devoted his career to it. Once the treatment does eventually get to the peer review stage, it will hit the international stage and hopefully survive the scrutiny so that others start to follow a standard practise and begin to build a strong knowledge base.

However, at this point in time, many practitioners do not have an adequate understanding of the condition and with this, the knowledge to make good quality diagnoses, despite their excellent education and abilities. There seem to be challenges at many levels: the level of diagnosis, use of the latest quality equipment and decisions about the treatment protocol (dosage and time between treatment cycles). Larry and David26 have provided lots of information about the different treatment protocols in another thread. I have corresponded with Prof Seegenschmiedt about the different protocols and he is committed to the two treatment cycles of 5x3Gy each with a 12 week break between treatments, as he has found evidence that it works over the last decade of experience.

To me it makes good sense to go to the Prof in Germany as he has the necessary knowledge, skills and passion for his work, despite the fact that I could get the treatment in Aust using my health insurance.

If you can afford the extra $$ for travel and accommodation and can cope with the treatment in another culture, you should consider this a serious option. However it's important that you make a decision that is right for you, so keep collecting information and speak to as many people as you can until you are convinced you are making the right decision .

All the best
Di

02/22/2011 16:34
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

02/22/2011 16:34
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

Re: Going to Germany for RT!

Hello Di

About treating my foot: at the moment there is no indication that treatment is needed. There are no symptoms, and I can feel with my fingers the area that needs monitoring. Part of the plan, when you don't live local is that the Professor shows you how to palpate your hands and feet to detect changes so that you can follow up concerns via email. Of course I'm back in 3 months anyway, but I don't expect any changes so soon with my feet ( touching wood).

Second treatment today. Nothing to report. The machine whizzes, bangs and clicks, and you hope something is really going on :-)

Spent the day down town in Hamburg. It's a nice city, easy to get around using train and metro, but it'll be much better to this Spanish blooded person in spring.

02/24/2011 04:50
Cyclist 
02/24/2011 04:50
Cyclist 

Re: Going to Germany for RT!

spanishbuddha:
Hello Di

About treating my foot: at the moment there is no indication that treatment is needed. There are no symptoms, and I can feel with my fingers the area that needs monitoring. Part of the plan, when you don't live local is that the Professor shows you how to palpate your hands and feet to detect changes so that you can follow up concerns via email. Of course I'm back in 3 months anyway, but I don't expect any changes so soon with my feet ( touching wood).

Second treatment today. Nothing to report. The machine whizzes, bangs and clicks, and you hope something is really going on :-)

Spent the day down town in Hamburg. It's a nice city, easy to get around using train and metro, but it'll be much better to this Spanish blooded person in spring.

Hi Spanishbuddha
Have you managed to do much despite the cold? How did you go with finding a suitable pair of shoes?
I hope you enjoy your time in Hamburg, even if it is freezing!
All the best
Di

02/24/2011 14:46
David26

not registered

02/24/2011 14:46
David26

not registered

Re: Going to Germany for RT!

spanishbuddha:

Part of the plan, when you don't live local is that the Professor shows you how to palpate your hands and feet to detect changes so that you can follow up concerns via email.

spanishbuddha,

When you have an opportunity, it would be nice if you could share, to the extent possible in a forum format, how Prof. S goes about with palpation and how we might best duplicate that ourselves to track disease development. Many thanks.

02/24/2011 17:23
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

02/24/2011 17:23
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

Re: Going to Germany for RT!

Round 4 today of RT, nothing to report. I have had a second meeting with the Prof to confirm and receive his report of the diagnosis and treatment. Also an opportunity to discuss concerns, what to do, not do, and the second round in 3 months.

Hello Di

It's quite balmy today in Hamburg at +4C. I've managed to get about quite a bit downtown Hamburg, and today enjoyed the museum of arts and crafts which has a show of pianos some dating back o the 1600's (they weren't called pianos then). The only thing not possible is the outdoor pavement cafe, boat trips and lake beaches. Having said that a few hardy souls were eating wurst and drinking coffee outside. I've actually walked quite a bit and the feet are tired and a bit sore at the end of the day, but fine in the morning. You can hire cycles downtown from racks at specific parking places.

I found some Nike Free shoes downtown, but was not convinced enough to spend €100 Euros. Interesting sole design, but just not sure. As I've said elsewhere I spend quite a lot on shoes, getting nowhere, and what I really need is a place that rents shoes out to try, but of course the hygiene factor makes that impossible.

David26

The first thing to say is the Professor understands in detail the anatomy of the hand and feet. He took some time to explain the location of DD in the hand fascia, and also where it occurs in the feet. He starts the exam by stretching lightly the palm or soles so that you can see where nodules or cords in the fascia press against the skin displacing blood and creating white patches. Then comes the feeling or palpation. In the hand he feels for the nodules or cords and checks that they lift up if the skin is pinched and lifted. This is done in conjunction with a knowledge of the anatomy of the underlying tendons and sheaths to help with differentiation. He also checks for functional ability, the distance between thumb and fingertips, ands of course any contraction. In the sole it's similar, he finds the outline of the plantar and looks for nodules along or at the edges.

Edited to add that for deep or large nodules with LD in the foot, they use a MRI (I think he said it was an MRI, the terminology might not be quite right) to determine the extent but especially the depth which cannot be so easily determined by feel in the foot. I did not need this so apologies for the uncertainty.

For ourselves it's important to learn your own hand and foot anatomy so that you can detect changeover time.

Edited 02/24/11 19:40

02/24/2011 22:23
Larry 
02/24/2011 22:23
Larry 
Re: Going to Germany for RT!

What about sketches and photographs ? How is the documentation done ?

02/25/2011 07:32
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

02/25/2011 07:32
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

Re: Going to Germany for RT!

Larry:
What about sketches and photographs ? How is the documentation done ?

The professor makes an acetate photocopy of your hands with the ink markings after the examination. He also has a word document with an outline of the hands which he or you mark up. Finally he takes photos of the ink marked up hands.

Larry, based on your excellent suggestion here and elsewhere I thought you had been to Germany for treatment?

02/25/2011 16:27
LubaM. 
02/25/2011 16:27
LubaM. 
Re: Going to Germany for RT!

spanishbuddha,

I like your comment about renting shoes (lol)...but the closest thing to that is buying from www.zappos.com a great website, they have thousands of shoes...they ship almost overnight for free and the return shipment is also free...no hassles whatsoever to return shoes, you can buy a few, try them out at home and return them if they don't fit.

02/25/2011 22:42
flojo 
02/25/2011 22:42
flojo 
Re: Going to Germany for RT!

I absolutely LOVE Zappos!

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